Amid doubts, hard work and four months of radio silence, Agassiz Produce staff at last announced the store’s long-awaited re-opening is nearing reality.
Agassiz Produce store manager Marie Christie announced via social media that the long-time community produce store is preparing to open once again after renovation efforts last November exposed asbestos-containing materials.
In the social media post, Christie confirmed asbestos has been removed from the premises and that renovations were nearing completion. Once work has cleared the necessary inspections, Christie said the staff can get back to stocking the store for reopening.
As of Wednesday, Feb. 23, there are signs crews are still on the premises. The windows of the building are covered and a pre-construction crew’s work notice is on the window near the entrance. Interior work activity can be heard from the outside.
The reopening is tentatively scheduled for mid-March, should all proceed as planned.
In late November, District of Kent posted Stop Work/No Occupancy notices on the doors, bringing reno work and store operations to a halt. According to District of Kent staff, renovation work removed protective barriers, which exposed asbestos-containing materials.
Exposure to asbestos fibres without the proper personal protection equipment can cause multiple serious chronic health issues, including lung scarring, lung cancer or mesothelioma – a rare form of cancer affecting the lining of the body cavity.
Christie told The Observer that as soon as WorkBC and the District of Kent got involved in the safety issue, the owners worked on the next steps forward – testing to confirm the location of the asbestos and undergoing safe removal.
“Unfortunately, what slowed things down was the Christmas holidays, snow and ice storms, so work had to wait until the new year,” Christie said. “Once remediation was underway, it was full speed ahead.”
Crews have been on-site for the past three weeks to complete the rest of the work, and it was then the owners notified staff that reopening was coming soon.
“We are beyond excited to get back to work serving our great community,” Christie wrote.
As for what exactly the renovations entail, it’s a surprise even to Christie.
“We can’t wait to see the work that’s been done,” she added.
She said there’s been a “heartwarming” outpouring of support since the announcement as the community is universally excited to have their beloved produce store back.
“This is the BEST news considering we weren’t even sure it would ever reopen,” one commenter, Allana Mallory, wrote on the Facebook announcement. “I look forward to seeing you back in action soon.”
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